A Woolly Winner - Award Success for Second Nature UK Ltd

Penrith based ecological insulation company Second Nature UK Ltd, has bagged top spot in the ‘Environmental Innovation’ category at the prestigious North West Business Environment Awards 2010.

The company, which specialises in insulations manufactured from natural fibres such as sheep’s wool, won the accolade for its latest environmental innovation - Edenbloc35.

Manufactured in Appleby, Cumbria, Edenbloc35 is a new type of rigid insulation made predominantly from recycled wool. Incredibly versatile, the product is the first of its kind in the UK and offers distinct benefits to the energy and eco conscious homeowner.

As well as contributing towards sizeable energy savings, up to £250 worth a year, Edenbloc35 also actually locks up CO2 within its fibres. When paired with the CO2 reductions that result from the reduced energy consumption Edenbloc35 makes possible, its climate change credentials are top notch – a fact which won the judges attention.

With a healthy order book since the product was launched in March, the judges commented on the “clear evidence of commercial success” and the “very strong evidence of innovation in eco-product development and collaboration”, declaring Edenbloc35 “a worthy winner”.

Second Nature’s Commercial Director, Mark Lynn, is delighted with the news. He said: “We knew we had a good case to put forward with Edenbloc35. As well as its thermal performance and subsequent energy saving potential, the fact that we’ve now developed an entirely new market for wool waste is a big plus. It makes the product more sustainable and, when it comes to the end of its life, the fact it’s made from natural materials means it can be safely utilised.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to the Eden Renewable Innovations Ltd, our manufacturing partner, and to the NWDA, DTI, Defra, Envirolink Northwest, Lake District National Park, Leeds University, Fells and Dales Leader Plus and the National Non-Food Crops Centre, who’ve all played a part in helping us develop this wonderful product.”

The win is a timely one for Second Nature, which has been heavily involved in the Campaign for Wool (CfW), a five-year cross industry initiative convened by HRH The Prince of Wales earlier this year which is dedicated to promoting greater understanding of wool as a product. The campaign enjoyed media prominence earlier this month as the first ever National Wool Week saw retailers, manufacturers and innovators unite to celebrate the natural properties of wool.

When it comes to insulation, Second Nature certainly feels wool has a lot to offer. Mark concluded: “With this new generation of wool based rigid insulation we are finally presenting people with a natural, effective alternative. Hopefully this in another step in bringing natural fibre insulation products closer to mainstream acceptance and to getting them the recognition they deserve.”

For further information on Edenbloc35 or other insulation products from Second Nature UK Ltd, please visit www.secondnatureuk.com or email

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